Ralph Waldo Emerson said in 1860, "The first wealth is health." Yet nowadays, for many of us, it seems like there are various headwinds when it comes to staying healthy both physically and mentally. That is probably why so many of us seek outside help when it comes to maintaining or improving our well-being.
aimed at helping users improve their diet, increase their fitness level, become more mindful, and treat specific health conditions . Pick any area of health, and there is bound to be an "app for that". And while the consensus is that most of these apps are relatively harmless, critics of the space suggest that many of these products don't actually help people reach their intended health goals. At their worst, some of the apps available today actually do harm.
With this being true, what do entrepreneurs and developers of wellness apps need to consider to create products that actually make a positive impact? Here are three pitfalls to look out for when developing or refining a digital health offering.A challenge for any app designer is that ultimately their product will compete for our attention with every other app that lives on our phone.
As such, the best-designed health apps provide the minimum effective dose of engagement needed to maximize the user's desired health outcome—fulfilling the app's promise without the need for excessive activity.As the market for health apps continues to grow, so does the concern that many health apps don't follow good science.
users for reducing caloric intake, increasing energy expenditure, or setting increasingly extreme weight loss goals—activities that all have the potential to exacerbate eating disorders.